


Poker Face

by SilverAmoebasquid



Series: STZ Week 2017 [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: AND THESE PROMPTS HAD ME READY TO ASCEND, Day 1: Team Bonding, I LOVED GETTING TO WRITE THEM AGAIN, STZ team party goes swimmingly contrary to expectations, card games minus drinking or cheating, hello this is FANTASTIC WHY DOESN'T STZ GET MORE LOVE LIKE THIS, so basically the only things that make them fun but whatever, stz-week 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-20
Updated: 2017-03-20
Packaged: 2018-10-08 06:43:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10380801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverAmoebasquid/pseuds/SilverAmoebasquid
Summary: Whatever can be said about Shiratorizawa, they're a cohesive team and that's undebatable. Sometimes they get to kick back and relax for once, but even then, it's plain to see that they are connected.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This was super fun to write and shout out to [My Most Beautiful Kat](http://tendouaf.tumblr.com) for putting together [this incredible fan week](http://stz-week.tumblr.com) for the most underappreciated team/my actual children.
> 
> See if you can pick out my bias for one singular character :'D can you tell? I got 99 problems and Shirabu Kenjirou is every single one of them.

Shirabu couldn’t believe he’d agreed to go along with this. Things Tendou suggested were never a good idea. Everyone knew this. And everyone still agreed every time. Shirabu wasn’t sure what that said about all of their gullibility but he exhaled heavily and knocked on the door.

The red-haired middle blocker answered eagerly within seconds, ushering Shirabu inside.

“Welcome!” he said excitedly. “Almost every else is here already; Hayato was going to be a little late and no one knows where Taichi is. He might be asleep somewhere.”

Shirabu rolled his eyes. He wouldn’t be surprised if his lazy roommate had completely forgotten about the get-together.

“Where’s Reon, considering you’re playing host at his house?” Shirabu asked, already ready to go home. He could be enjoying his break from school right now, but instead, he was hanging out with the same people he spent every day with.

Tendou grinned. “He’s downstairs with the others. I’m in charge of answering the door since I invited everyone over!”

“He did say it was okay to invade his house, right?”

“Of course!” Tendou waved dismissively. “Besides, his house is the best! It’s one of the biggest and there’s a TV in the basement!”

At that moment, Reon did come up the stairs, waving at Shirabu and smiling warmly. “Hey! Welcome! Make yourself at home; there’s food downstairs.”

“Thank you.” Shirabu nodded, following the two third years downstairs.

He walked into some sort of card game, about ten of the other members of the team all sitting in a circle while others lounged on couches, ate snacks, and chatted.

Tendou jumped and somersaulted back into his place in the ring, almost kicking Semi in the face in the process.

“Hey, Shirabu,” Semi greeted, shoving Tendou away from him. “We’re almost done with this round; can we deal you in next game?”

“Yeah, that’s fine. I’ll watch for now.”

Shirabu knelt behind Semi, glancing over his cards.

Semi pressed his cards against his chest. “Hey! You better not cheat!”

“I’m not cheating,” Shirabu promised with a smirk. “Just watching.”

When Semi’s turn came around again, Shirabu had picked up the rules of the game pretty well. Semi selected the card he was going to slide into the middle, when Shirabu nudged him, pointing to a different card. “Play that one. Jin’s bluffing,” he whispered.

Semi glanced back at Shirabu. “What?”

“Just trust me.”

Semi shrugged and played the card Shirabu had recommended.

When the vice captain grabbed that card, his expression stayed neutral, but Shirabu could see just a hint of a grimace.

“Are you sure?” Semi whispered back to Shirabu. “He doesn’t look upset.”

“Positive. He and Tendou are both losing right now. They don’t have good cards. Just wait for it.”

“Hey, can you two stop cheating?”

Shirabu whirled around to find Yamagata standing over him, smirking. Kawanishi was also stepping off the staircase, wisely avoiding the chaotic group in the center of the floor.

“When the hell did you even get here...” Shirabu masked the racing of his heart with a bored tone.

Yamagata grinned and climbed onto Shirabu’s shoulders. “I’m always watching! You can’t hide your lies from me!”

Shirabu shoved the third year off his back. “Go away. I’m not cheating. I don’t know what anyone else’s cards are. I’m just watching Semi.”

“Can I watch you watch Semi?”

“If you’re going to try to be helpful, go help Goshiki. He’s played all the last safe cards in his hand and he’s going to have to start taking risks soon.”

Goshiki blushed fiercely from across the circle. “S-Shirabu!”

Shirabu bit back a smile and turned back to Semi.

Yamagata laughed and did go look over Goshiki’s shoulder for a few minutes before leaving altogether to go find snacks.

Shirabu looked out at the circle of faces, studying their own cards and taking furtive glances at the other’s expressions before leaning back in to whisper in Semi’s ear.

“Semi, something’s wrong. Jin is doing something weird. Play it safe. Tendou’s still going to lose if you play good cards against him.”

“You just said Jin didn’t have good cards.”

Shirabu studied the vice captain. “I didn’t think he did. I think I was wrong, though. Don’t target him.”

Semi glanced over at his fellow third year as well. “You’re overreacting, Shirabu. I got him.”

“Just go after Tendou and you’ll win!”

“Shh, stop distracting me.”

“Semi!”

Semi looked Jin in the eye and played his card.

“Eita!”

Semi finally looked directly at Shirabu, but Jin was already playing his card and winning the game.

Shirabu exhaled as Jin pumped his fist in the air.

Semi smacked Shirabu’s shoulder. “The hell!”

Shirabu glared. “I  _ told _ you to go after Tendou, dipshit.”

“Yeah, after I’d already started my campaign against Jin!”

Shirabu rolled his eyes. “It would not have been hard to switch!”

“Why should I even trust what you tell me?”

“Because I’m right!”

“Woah, guys, settle down, there’s no need to yell...” Reon chided.

“Uh, I’m not sure if this helps, but I was actually out of risk-free cards to play...” Goshiki raised his hand slightly.

“My hand was awful,” Tendou commented as well. “You probably could’ve won against me!”

Semi glared at Shirabu. “Alright, Mr. Magician. You get to play next round and if you don’t win, you have to... be my slave for the rest of the night.”

Shirabu narrowed his eyes. “Is this a bet? Because that has to go both ways.”

“Sure, I’ll take that bet,” Semi sneered, reaching out a hand.

Shirabu shook it firmly. “Deal me in.”

“I don’t want to be a part of this...” Jin commented nervously. “The arguments between you two always get out of hand.”

Yamagata hopped back over. “Is this a bet? I want to see one of you guys lose catastrophically.”

Shirabu rolled his eyes as Ushijima gathered all the cards and shuffled them thoroughly.

As everyone looked at their hand a minute later, Shirabu sat back and watched expressions. None of this was cheating. It was just game strategy trying to figure out what people were thinking. All he had to do was win, but if he could win against Semi, that would be ideal. Unfortunately, based on the pinch server’s expression, Semi had a pretty good hand.

Shirabu glanced down at his own cards. He’d have to be real good to win with these cards. He wasn’t quite confident, but he was pretty sure he’d at least have his advantage still.

The game began and it was easy to see that Semi was directly targeting Shirabu.

Shirabu relaxed almost immediately. Semi was blinded by the challenge and was so obvious about his intentions. All Shirabu had to do was keep a cool head and he’d be able to find a gap in Semi’s strategy.

The harder part was keeping track of everyone else simultaneously. Shirabu was almost positive that Goshiki and Ushijima both had winning hands so he’d have to be careful around them. Yamagata was full defensive, covering his tracks the best.

Still, Shirabu hyper-focused every time a card was laid down. This was his team. He knew them. He knew every single one one of their expressions. He knew which eye shifts and mouth twitched signified a bluff and which blank expressions concealed overwhelming confidence.

He had spent more time than anybody watching these faces and memorizing these expressions. There was no way of knowing what cards everyone actually had, but in understanding how screwed everyone thought they were, Shirabu was a master.

The only flaw in translating his volleyball strategies into this was the fact that they were all against him and he was no longer in control of which direction the ball flew. On several occasions, Shirabu found his concentration centered on Ushijima, just like it was in games. It was likely just a lucky move, but Goshiki nearly took him out of the game entirely when Shirabu wasn’t paying close enough attention to his kouhai.

Shirabu hoped the flash of panic that spiked inside him wasn’t too obvious, but then Semi darted in to play a card against Shirabu.

Shirabu concentrated on his expression, picking up every detail. He was confident, cocky. He understood that Shirabu was disadvantaged. And then he put his card down and blinked twice as he withdrew his hand.

Shirabu hoped his lack of experience reading Semi wasn’t obscuring anything for him. From what he could see, Semi had gotten too hasty and played a risky card. All Shirabu had had in his hand for the entire game were risky cards. Which meant the only option he had was to make himself vulnerable and hope for the best.

He played a weak card and watched the way Semi’s brown eyes flicked over it as he picked it up out of the center.

Semi looked Shirabu in the eye as he set his next card down.

Shirabu didn’t meet his gaze though he desperately wanted to try to gauge what Semi was thinking.

He looked at the floor and set down a card that would either win the game or annihilate him. His only hope was that Semi had played a weaker card, thinking that Shirabu was out of halfway decent plays.

Semi calmly picked up the cards from the center pile. Then his shoulders dropped an inch.

Shirabu exhaled in relief and closed his eyes.

“You have got to be shitting me!”

“Did Shirabu win!?” Goshiki asked eagerly, leaning to try and look at Semi’s cards.

“Yes, he won,” Semi snarled, throwing his losing card on the floor.

Shirabu smirked slightly.

“How did you know?” The first-year spiker looked at Shirabu with wide eyes.

“I said. I’m just good at reading people. I can tell if you guys are bluffing. It’s actually a little easier to figure out what you all are up to something than Semi. But he’s got a pretty bad poker face.”

Semi flicked the back of Shirabu’s ear. “Don’t talk about me like I’m not here!”

“Pretty sure I can do whatever I want, seeing as you’re my slave for the rest of the night.”

Tendou “OOOOH”ed loudly, pushing his face into Semi’s personal bubble.

“Go away, Satori!” Semi blushed, not taking his eyes off Shirabu’s smug grin.

“So are we playing more games or are you guys too afraid to take me on now?” Shirabu asked.

“What if we play BS but Kenjirou versus all of the rest of us?” Tendou suggested, raising one eyebrow in challenge.

Shirabu looked at him evenly. “Why would I take that challenge? The probability that I could win against all of you is awful.”

“There don’t have to be stakes or anything,” Reon inserted.

“We just want to see if you can do it!” Tendou assured.

Shirabu shrugged. “Fine. Eita, do you want to go get me some pretzels from the snack table before we start?”

Semi bristled but stood up anyway. “At the end of the night, you need to stop calling me Eita.”

“I never objected to that,” Shirabu shook his head dismissively. “I just wanted pretzels.”

Semi rolled his eyes and walked across the room while everyone else snickered.

“You guys are sure you’re not going to try to make me do anything if I lose?” Shirabu turned back to the rest of the group. “Apparently there’s some pretty intense indentured servitude at stake here.”

Yamagata laughed. “We promise. Semi made a dumb bet. Honestly, my money’s on you and I don’t want to be your bitch as well.”

“I’m determined to win against you!” Goshiki pointed at Shirabu. “I just have to try really hard and use my intuition and I’ll figure you out!”

“You might want to work on your poker face a little bit,” Shirabu smirked. Goshiki was smart in a unique way and Shirabu knew that, but he didn’t have the kind of control necessary for this game.”

“Hey, Shirabu, do you want pretzel sticks or the square, checker-y ones?” Semi called over.”

“I think they’re called waffle pretzels, but I want the sticks please.” Shirabu smiled sweetly.

Semi rolled his eyes and started dishing up food.

“Uh, actually, I changed my mind. Waffle pretzels, Eita.”

Semi slammed the paper bowl on the counter, throwing a few pretzel sticks out.

The observers in the circle chuckled at Semi’s annoyance as he blatantly left the disregarded pretzel sticks on the counter and grabbed a bowlful of the waffle kind instead.

Yamagata started shuffling the deck of cards as Semi sat back down and shoved the snacks into Shirabu’s hand.

“You playing, Eita?” Tendou asked as Yamagata began dealing.

“I’m not playing against him again.” Semi glared.

Shirabu pretended not to hear and munched his pretzels contentedly.

As everyone picked up their cards, Shirabu shifted. “Eita? I’m tired of having to support my own body weight. Can I lean against you?”

Tendou burst out laughing at the look of derision on Semi’s face.

Shirabu smugly placed himself between Semi’s legs and leaned his back against the third year’s chest, happily studying his hand. “If you give anything away when I play my cards, I will murder you.”

Semi huffed and didn’t respond. Tendou, Goshiki, and Yamagata were all laughing.

 

The game was going well and Shirabu could practically feel Semi’s eyes studying the way  _ he _ studied the other members of the group. There had only been one instance where he had called BS on someone who was telling the truth to note. However, the fewer cards he had in his hand, the more he had to lie.

“One nine,” Shirabu said calmly, sliding his second-to-last card into the growing middle pile.

The others stayed quiet.

Semi exhaled heavily. “He only had two cards. You really think he just played a nine?”

“BS,” Goshiki said nervously.

Shirabu froze. Then reached into the center and took all of the cards back into his hand. “Seriously, Eita? Don’t be such a sore loser.”

“Me? Don’t be such a sore winner. Let someone else make a move for a change.”

“Don’t cheat!”

“Just leveling the playing field a little since your position gives you such an advantage.”

“What?”

Goshiki looked up nervously. “Are you cheating? Is there a mirror behind us that you can see with!?”

Shirabu rolled his eyes. “No. But Semi’s right. I’m so used to watching all of you guys’ movements and expressions on the court to figure out who to set to that it’s pretty easy to figure out who is bluffing and when.”

Yamagata blinked. “That’s actually kinda cool... Even me?”

“Yeah, even you. I just watch you guys all a lot...”

“It’s thoughtful of you to be so mindful of all of us,” Reon smiled. “I bet it helps you a lot in volleyball.”

Shirabu nodded. “It does. If I can tell who’s in the best place physically and mentally, it’s simple to decide who to toss to.”

“Why don’t you toss to me more then!?” Goshiki’s voice was borderline whiny.

Shirabu glared. “Because most of the time you’re just thinking ‘if I hit this ball I’m going to look so cool! I can’t wait to be the ace!’ And Ushijima is just thinking about scoring the point. So, of course, I toss to him.”

Goshiki paused and looked at Shirabu in wonder. “You can tell all that?”

“Why do you think I stay after practice every night to work with at least a few people at a time? Being able to make split second decisions like this wins us games.”

An arm was loosely laid across Shirabu’s waist and he looked back at Semi.

“And that’s why you’re our starting setter,” the third-year said.

“I, uh- I didn’t mean... Semi...”

Semi smiled. “I know. I’m just saying that I would never be able to do things like you do. I’m glad to warm the bench if the team is in good hands, but that much is real clear to me.”

Shirabu smiled faintly, leaning further back against Semi. “I’m doing my best, Eita.”

“You’re doing great, Kenjirou.”

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know why I did this, it was probably pretty dumb, but the game they're playing at the beginning is a game a friend of mine and I created in middle school with rules three pages long, it was so complex. Obviously, it's not an actual game so sorry if it's confusing. all you need to know is you play your cards to attack other players and if no one else in your group has a poker face, you're pretty much guaranteed a win because there's a lot of lying involved. That's the basics of it. And BS. I hope everyone knows how to play BS. if you don't, go look up the rules because that's seriously the greatest game the world has ever seen. I like card games. A lot. No shame.


End file.
